Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday?

Its hard to believe were finally near the end! I guess it went by fast (didn't feel like it sometimes). Tomorrow morning I have my weekly NST/bloodwork appointment at the hospital at 10. There starts the real wait. Anytime from my appointment through to Tuesday morning I will be induced, depending on bed availability. Lawrence took his last two night shifts off (tonight and sunday night) so that we dont' risk him being stuck at the mine for my labor. In the morning were taking both vehicles to town and dropping the kids with the van off at Jeremy and Tasha's house. That way if they do decide to keep me we won't have to worry about the kids. If they don't keep me then we'll just pick them up after my appointment.

For inductions here, Pitocin is the last resort (very much to my liking). My doctor informed me at my last appointment that they would gel me, monitor baby for an hour and then I could go home. Then they would do this two more times before deciding the next step. When I told him that when I was gelled with Noah contractions started 15 minutes later and Noah was born 3 hours later he said maybe I should just stay at the hospital. Yah, probably a wise idea :) I have no idea if i'm dilated at all at this point because my doctor doesn't like to do checks until labor. I would be surprised if i wasn't at least at 3cm as I was 3-4.5 at this point with all the other three. I didn't think I would be nervous about labor this time around, i mean i've done it a few times. But when i let myself think about the pain i do get kinda nervous. So I generally just don't think about it, lol.

Today I got tons done! I relaxed until mid afternoon which was nice, but then I went crazy! I swept, vacuumed, baked, cleaned bedrooms, finished packing bags, washing and folding laundry and more. The house is spotless (even the rec room) and all the laundry is done. Feels good. Then this evening i pampered myself. So nice. I shaved, exfolitaed and moisturized my feet, straightened my hair, did a full mary kay hand treatment, and i'm now relaxing on the couch wearing super soft flannel pajamas that are just so comfy! I feel ready! I'm obviously hoping that they'll keep me in the morning, lol. If not the wait isn't much longer! I'm so excited to meet this baby, to find out if its a boy or girl and find out what its name is (no we haven't narrowed the name choices down very much)! I will try my best to keep my facebook updated as things develop or as we just wait! Prayers are very welcome!!

Edmonton Or Fort Mcmurray?

I got a call from the on call obstetrician on saturday evening. He asked me to come in in the morning for more bloodwork and another NST. If they call me for an unscheduled NST/bloodwork then I can safely assume that the platelets dropped again. So I went in (had to miss church) and the tech took like 6 vials of blood as opposed to the normal 1. I finally got to meet Dr. Remtula who I have chatted with a few times on the phone. I like him which is always nice. He told me that if my platelets get to 55 or lower that they will need to send me to Edmonton to deliver baby. sigh. So the reason they took all the extra blood was to be prepared for that scenario (i guess they need more tests?). Last friday my platelets were at 61, yesterdays results were at 63. The plan is to induce me sometime mid next week. I'm really praying that my platelets can stay above that 55 until i'm 37.5 weeks so I can stay in town for delivery. Not that I dont' think I would get great care in Edmonton but its the inconvienance of it all. Driving there, leaving the kids here, having to drive back after, dealing with a whole new bunch of doctors that I haven't met and so on. Oh well, it could definitly be worse.

My body is definitly getting ready for this baby to come out. Three nights in a row I had painful contractions for over an hour. the first night they were 10 minutes apart then stopped and started again a couple hours later at about 6 minutes apart. The next night about 5 minutes apart and the next night 3 minutes apart. While it gets dissapointing every night when they stop, I keep reminding myself that every contractions is causing some sort of progress.

This week is pretty busy for us. I have an appointment with a specialist on Tuesday (in case this is not only a gestational problem), Gabe's school christmas concert on wednesday evening, my weekly NST/Bloodwork on Thursday, Doctors appointment on friday, then the Sunday school concert/church christmas program on Sunday evening. In between these I need to take the kids shopping for a present for Daddy and find the boys some dress shirts. I'm hoping that all the busyness of the week will help it all go by really fast :)

2 weeks....again.

I saw my new Dr again yesterday. He did another ultrasound (I didn't get to see which is good because there was no temptation). From which he estimates baby to be around 6.5lbs already...hmmm? Gabe was my biggest baby at 6 lbs 14 oz and he was born at 38.5 weeks. I dont' think i'm really any bigger than i was with any of my other kids but i guess this is my fourth. I dont' put much stock in their estimates, i find their usually pretty far off. I can't imagine having a baby over 7lbs.

The induction is officially set. I guess here the Dr. has to fill out a form for induction, I had to sign it, and then he sends it to the mat/child ward of the hospital. On the form he puts what days he would like me induced and the hospital picks one of those dates and calls me with 1-2 days notice. So the form said anytimes from teh 12th to the 16th. I will be 38 weeks on the 14th. So it looks like if nothing happens on its own (unlikely anyways) I will be having this baby in two weeks time! I really would love for labor to get going on its own but its just not a likely scenario for me. I'm super excited to have a more firm idea of when baby is coming! I can better plan for child care for the other kids and it hopefully means i'll stop wondering about it everyday all day :) I'm going to have to keep myself super busy for the next two weeks to help them pass. Last week sure dragged by.

My usually faithful intuition is throwing me for a loop. Almost the entire pregnancy I just really felt this baby is a boy, despite that the pregnancy is most similar to my pregnancy with Lily. I just couldn't imagine the baby as a girl. So all of a sudden this past month I have been thinking of the baby as a girl and having a harder time imagining it being a boy. I will definitly be surprised no matter what it is! I really have no idea! The suspense is so much fun! Now if only we could pick names.

For Tasha - please pick your top three in case one has sold when I get to the ordering.

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P.S. if your really not feeling any of these just be honest, thats why i'm asking you, i want to make sure its your style, not mine :)

2 WEEKS!!

I had my doctors appointment with the high risk obstetrician yesterday. I was pretty nervous about it because (like all doctores) i had heard very mixed opinions of him. Also because i knew that there was a strong possibility that they would want me to stay with him for the remainder of the pregnancy instead of with the obstetrician that I have been seeing the entire pregnancy (who i'm comfortable with and is female). I know lots of people were praying for me and for the appointment and man did i feel those prayers once the Dr came in! The appointment went well and I felt quite comfortable with him right away. He did an ultrasound and was pleased that baby is right on track still. He estimates baby is just over 5lbs. While I don't put much stock in their ultrasound estimates, this is a very accurate size for where I'm at when I take into consideration when my other three were born and what their sizes were. He looked over all my previous blood work and ordered a ton more. He also ordered weekly NST's (non-stress tests), and a 24 hour urine test (fun). He then told me that due to my low platelets he is planning to get baby out at 37 weeks! This really isn't shocking news to me. I have known all along that this baby would most likely be delivered between 35-37 weeks. But when the Doctor actually says "here is the plan", its like AHHHH!!! My other Dr always gently evaded giving me any answers as to what her plan was if my platelets got to low and I know the main reason is that she has never dealt with this pregnancy issue before. I know she was very eager for me to get to the high risk ob.
So I got all my blood work done yesterday, 24 hour test today and then my first NST tomorrow. I'm scheduled to see him again next wednesday. Hopefully at that appointment we can nail down a more specific day for the induction so my lovely sister in-law can book the time off to watch my kids. I'm preparing myself emotionally for him to possibly change his mind or for labor and delivery to be too busy for me to be induced. But for now, i've got 2 weeks to finish all my pre-baby lists! I've been so on top of said lists though that I don't know that I have enough stuff to do to keep me busy!! Miraculously I actually slept pretty good last night, i was expecting to have delivery/baby dreams all night but I am feeling fairly well rested this morning, very nice :) Oh my, i just cant wait to hold this new little Penner!!!

I may not need them...but i want them :)

Brown Robeez booties in the smallest size

Aiden & Anais muslin swaddle blankets

Puj Tub

L'oved Baby sleeper and hat

Nearing the end

I do remember daydreaming about when i would be this close to the end of pregnancy, now that i'm here I have to remind myself of how little time is really left. I have come to that stage of the game when its a constant battle with my attitude. Generally i'm uncomfortable (in pain is more like it), not sleeping at all, queezy, grouchy....the list goes on. I need to find my rose colored glasses and put them on :) Baby is baking very well. He/She is still constantly on the move (ouch it hurts now) and this is very encouraging. I had my dr's appointment on thursday and it went okay. Baby was perfect and the Dr confirmed my suspicions that baby dropped. My platelets are back down to 65 but at least their still above 50. My Dr politly asked me to not have any more painful contractions until i reach 37 weeks, lol. This coming monday I have my appointment with the high risk obstetrician. I know it will calm my own Dr's nerves once I have seen him and I also get a bonus in office ultrasound out of the deal. I'm hoping that after this appoinment i can get some plan of action answers from my Dr. She has carefully evaded telling me what her plan is if my platelets fall below 50 either before or after 37 weeks. I think she is avoiding answering because she has never dealt with this probelm before and wants the high risk oby's opinion. I would just like to prepare mentally for steroids or transfusions etc.
I have been getting the occasional painful contractions but there are sparse and very low on the pain scale. If I am remembering correctly this is the time when i started getting them with Noah and Lily as well so it doesn't really concern me.

I am very satisfied to have most of the pre-baby lists finished. I am done pretty much all the christmas shopping (including stocking stuffers), my deep freeze is full of prepared meals, the christmas tree is up and decorated (much to my kids delight), and baby's clothes are washed. I think we may have even decided on names (i'm not saying what just yet though). There are very few things left to buy from my baby needs lists and really most of them are wants. I just might have to do another seperate post on that front :) I'm daydreaming about holding this new baby and finding out if its a boy or a girl!